Dons boss Robinson insists Derby were lucky to claim victory

Charles Crook

MK Dons manager Karl Robinson said his team did not deserve to lose in their clash with Derby County.

The Dons dominated in the first half, but failed to score until after Bradley Johnson had put Derby in front. Josh Murphy bought the Dons level, only for late Darren Bent and Tom Ince goals to give Derby the three points.

Robinson contended his team were the much better one, and said his team did not deserve to lose.

He said, “We didn’t deserve it at all. For 65-70 minutes, we were tremendous. But we played Wednesday night and I always knew going into the last 15 minutes there would be a fatigue element that they didn’t have, and I was proved right.

“I thought we deserved to win today. People have seen today we are a good side sticking to our principles and moving the ball efficiently, but it seemed every time they went forward and had a shot, it went in, and that’s the difficulty.”

Robinson also praised visiting keeper Scott Carson, who made a number of good quality stops to keep MK Dons from scoring. Particular praise was focused on a first half stop to deny Simon Church, and a second half stop to tip Dean Lewington’s effort onto the bar.

“I thought Scott Carson was probably the man of the match. He was outstanding. His save in the first half is as good as I’ve seen in many years, and how he got something on Lewington’s one.

“And even then, when he does make an error, it hits their person perfectly on the line. So we feel hard done to.”

Robinson also took time to question match referee Christopher Kavanagh, after feeling a number of incidents did not go his team’s way.

He said, “I’d love to know why Butterfield has not had a second booking. I’d love to know why Josh Murphy has been booked when he was pushed in the back. I’d love to know why Bradley Johnson has thrown an elbow in Dean Bowditch’s face and the referee’s bottled it.

“These are big decisions. The Butterflield one on 44 minutes - the referee said to me, ‘Yeah, it was high but he went for the ball, but he missed it.’ Does that not mean it’s a booking under the letter of the law if he kicks someone in the chest in his second consecutive foul after being booked?”

Despite the latest reverse, which sends the Dons to six defeats in a row, Robinson insisted he would not compromise his team’s principles, and felt it was a matter of time before they would get back to winning ways.

He said, “I think it was Sky who said that the first four when we got seven points and last four games when we’ve lost them all. Every one of our shot and pass stats was up on the ones we’ve won, but results haven’t gone our way.